Recycling silver into a little bit of magic

I cant believe its almost September, I have had a busy few months juggling work and the school holidays. Now we are firmly back in our routine, my thoughts turned to new projects and ideas. My ever overflowing Silver scrap pot, (so many mistakes!) has been sitting beside my bench and making me feel guilty for not using it. After some experimentation I have been making pendant blanks. Recycling 3.5grams of scrap sterling in the crucible and melting it into little silver buttons. Lots of hammering, rolling and polishing later, I have been making lovely freeform, oval pendants ready to be laser etched!

 

In my workshop I have a handy Laser etching machine that can turn a digital file into an etching on Silver and lots of other materials. I have used it to make slate photo coasters for family members for Christmas and personalising a few bits and pieces for friends. I really needed to put it to some productive use and started to think how I could use it to create something in my style.

        Köhler's medicinal plants, 1887

Witchy thoughts lead me to poisonous and magical plants, and a winding trip through the internet I discovered the botanical drawings in Kohlers medicinal plants. First published in 1887. My attention was drawn to plants used in witchcraft and magic. I edited the drawings, focusing on the parts that I think would work best, creating pictures that could be etched onto the pendants. I decided it would be nice to make them double sided adding some text with the Latin names and information about the plants.

So far I have created 5 different designs,

Hemlock – Pretty flowers and a fatal poison used in ancient Greek executions

Wolfsbane – Protection from Werewolves!

Deadly nightshade – Infamous poison but also used as a beauty aid

Henbane – The witches plant, used in transformation and flying potions

Mistletoe – Used to ward of evil and common in love and fertility magic

 

 

As always I would love to here what you think, please do leave a comment or send me a message!